


Leaving

by myblueworld



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Gen, Manchester City
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2015-02-25
Packaged: 2018-03-15 01:09:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3432491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myblueworld/pseuds/myblueworld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aleks  stares blankly at nothing, thinking what is it that goes wrong, who is it to blame that he has to lose Matija.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Leaving

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Written a couple of weeks ago when it was confirmed that Matija was leaving City
> 
> 2\. Loosely based on the song How to Save a Life - The Fray

“Can I talk to you for a second?”

Matija stops walking. And then slowly, he turns around. He looks at Aleks and stretches his lips into a small, stiff smile. And it hurts. It hurts Aleks that he doesn’t see the smile in his eyes.

“Sure,” Matija slings his bag on his shoulder. “Want to go somewhere else?”

Aleks takes a quick glance. Most of their teammates have left already. Vinnie walks pass them, tapping Aleks’ shoulder.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Aleks.”

Aleks can almost hear the words that Vinnie left unsaid

_I leave it to you. Talk to him._

“No. Here is good.”

Aleks tries to stretch his lips into a smile, but somehow thinks that he is failing miserably. Matija smiles back. A polite, careful smile.

“Listen,” Aleks pauses, clearing his throat. He tries to fix his eyes on Matija, to savor every single second that he can have to still look at his face. But the lump on his throat makes it hard for him to breathe when he looks at Matija. So young, so full of hope, and so bitter from not getting what he should have, what he deserves.

Aleks' throat is dry when he starts talking.

“I…, I’ve heard about it.”

It’s funny how words can taste so bitter just because they are telling the truth.

In front of him, Matija nods. The smile no longer there. His eyes are cold and empty.

“You’re leaving.” Aleks wants to laugh, wants to laugh until he no longer feel the pain. The pain to realize that Matija is leaving while he is still here.

Matija nods again. “It’s… It’s for the best, I guess.” he says, plainly, matter-of-factly.

Aleks wants to scream that  _no, it’s not the best_. That he knows what best is to still be here together. That the best is none of them leaving.

“Yeah. I guess... I guess it’s the best for you.”

Aleks clears his throat again. “So, good luck in Schalke, Matija.

The smile goes back on Matija’s face, a little bit wider this time. But still, the smile doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Thank you,” Matija says quietly, and then turns around.

He walks away, leaving the changing room. Aleks stands still, letting the bitterness sink in.

Aleks stares blankly at nothing, thinking what is it that goes wrong, who is it to blame that he has to lose Matija.


End file.
